Hurricane Melissa Ravages Eastern Cuba Causing Widespread Flooding Power Outages

Hurricane Melissa caused severe devastation across multiple regions in Cuba, particularly impacting the towns of Baire and Cueto. Baire suffered extensive damage with roofs torn off, roads blocked, and power and communication outages, though fortunately no human casualties were reported. In Cueto and the Holguín province, continuous heavy rains led to severe flooding, submerging homes and complicating evacuation and recovery efforts. Residents, including local business owners like stylist Verónica Dantés, have been grappling with the financial and emotional toll of the flooding and loss of essential services such as power and internet. Despite the storm moving away, heavy rains and dangerous coastal waves persist, exacerbating the humanitarian situation. The National Hurricane Center reported that Melissa had moved off Cuba's eastern coast but continued to affect the region with storm surges and rainfall.